


Lions Reset

by WhoIsWren



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bonding, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Families of Choice, Friendship, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Hunk (Voltron) is so Pure, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Insecurity, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Paladins, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychic Bond, Self-Esteem Issues, Sentient Voltron Lions, Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Team Bonding, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 16:29:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14336490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhoIsWren/pseuds/WhoIsWren
Summary: Whatever spell Zarkon's witch, Haggar, put on the Lions during their battle is still affecting them. The Paladins are stuck on a planet and their Lions won't let them in.Each Paladin must now locate and form a new bond with their Lion. The Lions won't be swayed so easily this time, causing the Paladins to dig deep and prove their loyalty.Or risk losing the Lions forever.





	1. Mayday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set after 2x02. I actually had this idea before S2 aired so it was kind of freaky that something similar happened in canon (the whole being stuck without their Lions thing).

“Alright, I think we’re good to go,” Pidge announced as the Paladins stood staring at their lions.

For the past several days Pidge, Coran, and Hunk had been working non-stop to make sure the lions were working properly. Haggar and Zarkon had really done a number on the lions. Though they’d all been able to get the lions back to the Castle after their breakdown, none of them wanted to risk being stranded on random planets with broken lions and no way home.

Once was more than enough.

They were all itching to get back in the fight, all desperate to be flying in their lions again, but they’d waited as patiently as they could for their mechanics to give them go ahead.

Finally, it was time to take them out for a test drive. The Paladins were nearly vibrating with excitement but they all held back, not wanting to risk ruining the hard work Pidge, Coran and Hunk had done.

“You’re sure Pidge? I don’t want to send anyone out if the lions aren’t ready yet,” Shiro asked, ever the cautious leader. 

“They said it was good, so it’s good. Let’s go,” Lance slapped Shiro’s shoulder and smiled wide. Shiro chuckled and rolled his eyes at Lance’s enthusiasm.

“Alright, but let’s stick to the plan. We all fly together to a peaceful planet and take it slow. If everything holds then we can try something a little harder.”

There was a chorus of whoops and shouts of joy as the Paladin’s ran for their lions. Everyone was eager to get behind their lions once again, it had been too long since their last flight.

 “Oh, you big Blue lion, I missed you so much, yes I did.”

“Back in Yellow and nothing but smooth flying, what could be better?”

“Hey, girl, did you miss me?”

“C’mon Red, let’s show them who’s the fastest lion in the Galaxy!”

“Hey there, Black Lion. It’s good to be back.”

All the terms of endearment could be heard over the communicators in their helmets, but no one made fun of anyone for greeting their lions. From the moment each of them bonded with their lion it was clear these creatures were more than machines, they were alive and had personalities all of their own. Each Paladin felt like their lion was a missing part of their soul and flying together felt as natural as breathing.

Hunk still got a little nauseas during flight but he was getting better.

Their test flight seemed to be going off without a hitch. Everything was working perfectly until suddenly it wasn’t.

The five lions had just flown through the Teludav arriving at the chosen planet when everything went wrong. The lions simultaneously started going haywire. First the alarms started going crazy then all forms of steering stop working mid-flight.

“Shiro! My lion won’t respond. Something’s wrong.” Keith’s worried voice could be heard over the radio and similar complaints came from the other Paladin’s. Just because the lions weren’t responding to their controls didn’t mean the lions were just floating in space. No, these lions were steering themselves towards the planet and startling speeds.

“Come on, come on,” Shiro muttered, pulling hard on the controls of his lion to no avail. It wasn’t so much that the lions were still broken, they seemed to be working perfectly fine, they just appeared to be ignoring anything the Paladins wanted them to do.

As the planet’s surface came into view everything seemed to speed up. One moment he was trying to get Black to listen to him, the next he was being ejected and rolling painfully across the hard ground of the planet. There were several louds thumps and even more groans as the rest of his team fell around him, each of them ejected from their lions.

Shiro sat up gingerly and caught sight of the lions flying on their own to different parts of the planet. He groaned, this couldn’t be good. “Is everyone okay?”

There was a round of murmured assurances as everyone slowly righted themselves. Shiro and Keith were the first to jump to their feet and take in their surroundings.

It didn’t look promising.

All around them was a wasteland, with no sight of any of the lions. The lack of people and abundance of open land was one of the main reasons they chose this planet for their test flight; less damage if everything went wrong.

“Once again, I’m stuck on some deserted planet with a malfunctioning lion,” Keith muttered dejectedly, crossing his arms and glaring in the general direction Red flew. Even knowing Keith had better instincts than any of them Shiro was still impressed he knew which way Red was.

 “At least no one’s badly injured this time,” Shiro tried to comfort but the scowl Keith shot him told him now wasn’t the time to console or calm. Smiling, Shiro turned his head; he liked Keith’s scowls.

“What the quiznak was that?! Blue was totally giving me the silent treatment!” Lance squawked as he jumped up and dusted off his uniform. He and Pidge gave Hunk a hand, getting him standing and making sure he didn’t have any serious injuries. Nausea didn’t count.

“As far as I could tell it wasn’t anything mechanical. The lions flew perfectly –“ Pidge began, adjusting their glasses.

“They just didn’t want _us_ flying them. I don’t think they like us anymore,” Hunk finished, looking morose at his theory. None of them wanted to believe the lions had given up on them as they’d all developed a relationship with their lion over the past few months.

The bond shared between a lion and its Paladin was a special one, a bond each of them treasured in their own way.

Speaking of that bond…

“I can’t sense Red, the psychic link is gone,” Keith sounded breathless and panicked, as much as Keith ever does. Shiro wanted to smile at their shared thought process but that spark of joy was overridden by the emptiness the loss of Black had left in him.

There was a moment of pure chaos, everyone talking over each other and freaking out about the loss of connection. Everyone was panicked and scared, lost and alone. It was scary, definitely scarier than facing down Zarkon and his army. At least then they had their lions but now, standing on this planet, they had nothing.

“I got it! I got it!” Pidge yelled, their voice overpowering the others. When Pidge wanted attention, they usually got it. Typing on their wrist monitor Pidge continued talking, “I was able to boost the lion’s signal and I’ve triangulated their positions. They all seem to be separate from each other which is weird. But I was able to figure out why ejected us, at least I have a working theory.”

Pidge glanced up at the other Paladins who were all looking at Pidge, waiting for the explanation to continue.

“Right! Well, whenever you update an electronical device it has to do a reset in order to function correctly. All the work we did on fixing the lions was kind of like an update and I think the lions have hit the proverbial reset button. Back to factory settings, and that’s why the psychic link is gone.” Pidge smiled at them all, self-satisfied and glowing in the way they got whenever they figured out a problem.  

Everyone let that information sink in for a moment. It seemed plausible enough and was mostly good news. It meant the lions weren’t broken and all they had to do was find them again. Of course they also had to bond with them again, which was hard enough the first time. Shiro glanced at Keith to see a particularly foul expression on his face. The first time he bonded with Red he ejected himself out into space and almost died. Hopefully this time his bonding experience will be simpler.

Likewise Lance smiled widely as if nothing was wrong at all. His bonding experience was instantaneous, almost natural and instinctual the way Blue opened up to him the first time.

“Alright, that doesn’t sound so bad. Everyone follow your GPS and connect with your lions,” Shiro tried to smile reassuringly at his team, especially Hunk who looked a little scared. “Keep in contact and try to stay out of trouble.”

The pointed look he gave Keith and Lance earned him an eye roll and crooked grin respectfully. With that everyone looked at their monitors and began walking in the direction of their lions, far away from each other.

They were stranded on a planet, separated from their lions, separated from each other, and had to earn the trust and respect of their lions all over again.

There’s a good chance this could be disastrous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Camp NaNo I'm writing 20 short fics over several different fandoms, this is number 10.  
> [My Tumblr](http://www.nothing-personal-my-dear.tumblr.com)


	2. Lance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually think I like Lance *more* after writing this????? Weird.  
> This might be a little OOC but it's canon that Lance has insecurities, I just accentuated them a bit.

“I’ve been walking _forever_ and I’m no closer to Blue! Why did they have to fly _so far away_?” Lance groaned as he kicked up rocks and dust in his path.

It’s already been two hours since the Paladins split up to search for their _‘back to factory settings’_ Lions. Two hours was a really long time when you’re walking through the dusty desert with nothing on the horizon to hold your attention. Lance had a pretty spotty attention span at the best of times, let alone when he was staring at nothing but dust.

Blue was a huge robotic flying machine in the shape of a lion, she shouldn’t be this hard to spot. If he couldn’t see her yet then that only means he has more walking to do, so much walking. Lance groaned again, letting the whole world know how very _done_ with this situation he was.

“They’re making us work for it. You wanna be a Paladin of Voltron, you gotta earn it,” Keith’s deep voice crackled over the headset.

Lance stopped, taking in the hidden meaning behind Keith’s words. He and Keith never see eye to eye and always get on each other’s nerves but they still cared for each other. Deep down, _way_ deep down. They were Paladins, they all cared about each other, and they were all friends. Weren’t they?

Keith’s words had stung this time. Maybe it was just the situation, the fear of losing Blue forever, or maybe it was the loneliness of the desert but Lance was feeling vulnerable.

“You saying I didn’t earn it?” he questioned, his voice taking on that calm, perfectly even tone. It was a voice he perfected over the years, a tone that hid any and all emotions.

But the emotions were there, just below the surface waiting to pounce at the most opportune moment. He was lonely and afraid, worried and sinking further and further into defeat. Blue had made it pretty clear she didn’t want Lance to be her pilot anymore. What was a guy meant to do about that? It wasn’t like he could sweet talk her into letting him back in… Or could he?

With a surge of confidence that is sure to be short lived Lance interrupted the other Paladins assuring him that Keith didn’t mean it the way it sounded. “I’ll show you who the real Blue Paladin is!”

Shutting off his communicator and quickening his pace Lance focused on the adrenaline keeping his feet moving, focused on his goal of finding Blue, and focused on anything that wasn’t the horrible empty spot inside him that was steadily growing.

It took another hour before Lance found Blue, standing behind a large rock formation like the princess she was.

“BLUE!” Lance sprinted towards her, smiling wider than he ever has, feeling happier than he has been since his sister’s birthday when there was a huge family food fight. He was so caught up in his euphoria that he didn’t notice the shield until he ran smack bang into it.

The collision sent him flying several paces back. With a loud and painful thud, Lance landed on the dusty ground, coughing and clutching his throbbing nose.

“What the quiznak was that?” he screeched, still rolling on the ground in pain. Climbing to his feet and rubbing his still aching nose Lance glared up at Blue. His expression softened immediately, he couldn’t stay mad at her. “It’s Lancey Lance, let me in girl.”

Blue completely ignored him, something she has never done before. She didn’t lower her shield, she didn’t shine her eyes in acknowledgement, and she didn’t move at all or make any noise.

Absolutely nothing.

She acted as though he wasn’t even there, as if he was invisible.

Lance took a step back, heart sinking. He never thought Blue would treat him the way he always feared.

Like he was replaceable, like he was useless, like he didn’t matter.

Maybe he truly had lost Blue, maybe he wasn’t worthy to be her Paladin.

Being from a big family meant that sometimes he got left behind, forgotten. He was used to it, sure it hurt but it almost became normal to him. Blue treating him that way stung in a way he wasn’t prepared for.

He thought Blue was his girl, the one that knew him better than anyone, the one that wouldn’t leave him.

And yet here they were, covered in dust, and as far away from together as they could get.

“Blue?” he hesitantly asked, looking up at the great lion. He felt so small, sitting in the dust gazing up at his lion. Was she even _his_ lion anymore?

Pidge said the Lions had been reset and all they had to do was bond with them again. Considering their last bonding experience this should have been a cake walk for Lance, and yet…

“Last time it was instinctual, you just opened up to me right away, like we were always meant to be. Why isn’t like that this time?” Lance mutters to himself, hoping an answer will come. “Did I do something wrong? Do you really not want me anymore?”

It’s a hard pill to swallow, the thought that Blue just doesn’t want him anymore – _stupid Hunk for putting that thought in his mind in the first place_ – but the longer she ignores him the more plausible it seems. Sighing, Lance hangs his head, drawing his knees to his chest. He feels like he should have seen this coming in retrospect.

A magnificent and beautiful creature such as Blue deserves only the best, and that’s just not Lance.

He’s not the best pilot like Keith, or the smartest like Pidge. He’s not the kindest like Hunk, or the best leader like Shiro, and he’s not the best diplomat like Allura or the best technician like Coran.

He’s nothing.

Compared to the other Paladins and the Alteans, Lance is nothing.

Maybe he was never meant for Blue, because there’s no way someone as amazing as her would pick a subpar pilot. What if the only reason she let him in was because she needed to get the others to the Castle and he was convenient? What if this whole thing was just one huge mistake?

All this time Lance has been thinking they had this amazing connection, that they understood each other on some deep psychic level, that no one knew him as well as Blue, but maybe he was wrong.

“Makes sense I guess,” Lance mutters, arms circling his knees as if he’s trying to roll into the smallest ball possible.  “I’m never anyone’s first choice. I’m always the back up or the spare. I should have seen this coming. You’re too awesome to be stuck with a guy like me.”

Against his will his eyes fill with tears though he makes no effort to wipe them away. He’s never been ashamed of how easily he cries or the fact that he has actual emotions. His family always taught him to be proud of his feelings, to embrace his emotions and trust his heart.

The ache in his chest increases when he thinks of his family. He misses them terribly, his mother’s baking, his dad’s strong hugs, his sisters’ smiles, and his brother’s bad jokes. He misses his aunts and uncles, his nieces and nephews, and all his cousins. He misses everyone and it hurts so bad he’s surprised he’s survived this long.

He’s never been truly alone before, never had to deal with the silence and emptiness.

Life away from his family was made marginally easier because he had Blue, someone that loved him and someone that became his new family.

But now she’s gone and he’s truly alone.

His tears fall in earnest now, the ache in his chest growing. For several moments he sits in the dust just outside Blue’s shield and weeps. He weeps for his family, for Blue, and for himself. He alone and afraid, fearful for what his lonely future now holds. When the empty feeling has almost consumed him he breathes deeply and pushes the feelings away. He keeps breathing deeply and evenly, wrangling his emotions back under control.

Right now there’s something more important he has to do. Once over, he can have a good cry for as long as he needs to.

As soon as the tears stop flowing and Lance feels he can talk without stuttering and stumbling he stands. Wiping the dust from his clothes Lance clears his throat and places a hand on Blue’s shield, looking up at the great lion.

“I’m sorry, Blue. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the pilot you deserve. You are an amazing creature, you’re strong and fast, you’re smart and kind. But most of all your loyal and you have a big heart. I hope your next rider understands how lucky they are to know someone like you. And I hope they treat you with the love and respect you deserve.” Smiling sadly with tears welling in his eyes once more and voice beginning to break, Lance lets his hand slip away. “Goodbye, Blue.”

Turning away from the majestic lion Lance walks away. His shoulders are slumped, hands stuffed deep into his pockets, as his head hangs low.

When he left his family he didn’t actually have time to think about the _actual leaving._ But now, leaving Blue, it feels like his whole world is being ripped from his chest. Lance wants nothing more than to run back to her and beg her to take him back. Every step he takes away from her has Lance feelings as if he’s being punched in the gut.

Everything hurts and yet he feels hollowed out, drained and empty.

This is worse than the time he almost died, but it’s for the best. Blue deserves a Paladin worthy of her love and protection. Lance will gladly hurt every day for the rest of his life if it means she gets to have the perfect Paladin.

It’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make.

All around him the ground shakes, even the air feels like its vibrating as a mighty roar erupts from behind him. Lance ducks instinctively, just in time to feel a powerful gust of wind fly overhead. A great thud nearly breaks the desert floor as Blue lands.  

She wraps herself around Lance, as much as a giant robotic lion can anyways, and lays her gigantic head on the ground right in front of him. It’s as close to eye level as they can get, but the simple act of her crouching down this far means everything. Lions are strong and prideful, Blue being no exception, they would never lower themselves so much unless it was to one so trusted.

Lance is afraid to hope, yet his chest is bursting with it as a smile breaks across his face.

“You are not perfect, but you are _mine_ ,” Blue rumbles, her deep voice echoing in the recesses of his mind. Her eyes shine, in that way the Lions sometimes do when communicating to their Paladins. 

Could that mean what he hopes it means?

Lance’s eyes widen, his pupils expanding, as his mind explodes. It feels like a warm summer breeze, those first few seconds upon waking when everything is fuzzy around the edges. It is comfort and love, understanding and trust. Warmth spreads through every section of his mind before seeping into his every muscle. Molten lava slides through his veins but he is not burnt.

He feels at home.

The psychic connection has been restored.

“You, you actually want _me_ as your Paladin? Are you sure? Because I totally understand if you don’t, I’m not –“

“You are _mine_ ,” Blue interrupts with all the protective fury of a mama lioness. Lance feels his knees shake; positive he’s going to melt into a puddle of goo any second. “We are one in the same. I have fears and doubts, same as you. Our strength comes from our ability to move past those insecurities. We do not let darkness take us; we strive for the light and share it with others. We are brave, Lance.”

Lance stares at her, mouth hanging open, astonished. He’s never thought of things that way, never seen what Blue sees. It’s overwhelming and comforting. Smiling, Lance feels at a loss for words – something he’s never experienced before. With Blue, sometimes he doesn’t need words.

She rumbles again, as much of a purr as the lion can produce, and opens her mouth invitingly. “I am your Lion, as you are my Paladin.”

Giddy at the thought of being chosen first, of not being a replacement or a spare, Lance races inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think of Lance and Blue's bonding?
> 
>  Next Paladin = Hunk
> 
> [My Tumblr](http://www.nothing-personal-my-dear.tumblr.com)


	3. Hunk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hunk needs way more screen time and a story arc!

“Okay, Yellow Lion, this time should be _way_ easier. There aren’t any Galra ships shooting at us and no lives on the line. Should be good right?” Hunk smiles up at the large lion.

The lion does nothing but sit there safely behind her shield. Despite the lack of danger Hunk would really like to be behind that shield with her. You can never be too careful right?

Sighing Hunk hangs his head. It wasn’t like he _enjoyed_ being the scaredy cat of the group. He’s thinks he’s handling the situation pretty well though. His entire life was uprooted in one single night and now he was as far away from home as a person could get. He’s being hunted by aliens – _aliens are real, what the heck_ – and he regularly visits entirely different planets. Yeah, all things considered, a few freak outs are perfectly justified.

A voice that sounds suspiciously like Lance reminds him of all the times back on Earth when Hunk was terrified.

Leaning his back against the hum of the shield Hunk sinks to the ground. The problem with being smart is that you knew how things worked, which meant you knew all the ways things could go horribly wrong. Hunk was perfectly aware of how dangerous flying around in 10,000 year old spaceships was. So what if he freaked out more than the others? They just didn’t understand the risks, or if they did they were too excited to care.

“I know you’re not a typical space craft, the psychic connection thing is both _beyond_ creepy and _super awesome_. But you could still break apart in space and I’d be dead in a second, less than a second,” Hunk mumbles. He’s too tired from his walk here to get truly freaked out over his hypothetical death.

It’s not just the walk that has left him feeling hollow and lethargic. The lack of psychic connection with Yellow has taken more of a toll on him that he could ever have imagined. His whole life on Earth he lived perfectly fine without being psychically linked to a 10,000 year old space ship. Apparently after only a few months with the connection Hunk can’t function without it.

He feels more alone than he’s ever felt and that loneliness makes him afraid. More so than usual.

“I wanna be brave like Shiro and Keith, but I don’t know how. They make it look so easy, like there’s nothing in the galaxy to be afraid of. Why can’t I be like that?” Hunk asks softly, his insecurities getting the better of him, making him feel small.

Aimlessly he draws shapes in the dirt with his finger, giving his mind something else to focus on. He hates feeling this way, feeling so lost and helpless.

Losing Yellow like this just makes everything so much worse. Over the past few months with her Hunk has felt brave, the type of strength he could only dream of. He thought they developed a really great bond, a solid friendship. Maybe it was all wishful thinking.

A ship as complex and powerful as her wouldn’t settle for a frightened human, who sometimes still throws up in the cockpit.

“No wonder you don’t want me anymore. I’m a mess _and_ a coward,” he shrugs, trying to appear like it doesn’t bother him at all. He’s usually so good at letting things slide off him. All his life he’s been bullied whether for the colour of his skin or the size of his gut. He’s gotten good at shrugging off the hurtful things people say.

But this time things are sticking to him.

Yellow abandoning him is more than just losing a ship. It’s losing a friend, a trusted confidant, a pillar of comfort and strength. It’s also losing everything she embodies; it’s losing Voltron, losing the Paladins, losing the Castle. Losing Yellow means returning to Earth.

A few weeks ago that was all he ever wanted, a chance to go home.

Now that he has the opportunity he finds himself hesitant. He misses his family like crazy, he’s never missed anything so badly it physically hurts, but being a part of Voltron means something. The Yellow Lion means something.

She means everything.

She gives him purpose, she makes him strong, and she shows him he can be more than he ever dreamed. Because of Yellow, he saves people.

Standing, Hunk turns to face Yellow. Gazing up at her enormous body he takes in her beauty. As a machine she’s a work of art, as a ship she’s beautiful, and as a friend she’s irreplaceable. A warm strength floods through him and makes him smile. It’s not courage or bravery, or any of the traits Hunk secretly craves.

It’s love.

Love for Yellow, love for his fellow Paladins, and love for Voltron. But more importantly it’s love for himself.

 “One day I’ll find my courage and be a worthy Paladin, but for now you’re stuck with this cowardly mechanic and his weak stomach. I’m not going anywhere Yellow.” Hunk smiles up at Yellow and places his hand on her warm shield.

For a moment all he does he look at her and hope she accepts him for who he is, totally forgetting the world around him. He pours all he has into Yellow, giving her everything he is and everything he has. Now and forever, he is hers.

Behind her impenetrable shield the Yellow Lion rumbles happily, her version of a purr. Hunk laughs, overjoyed, but he’s interrupted by a different sound.

A slithering hiss.

Spinning around Hunk turns to face the sound but finds there is nothing behind him. Until he looks down, that is. It’s a very manly yelp that leaves his mouth, he’s sure.

Slithering along the dirt are dozens, if not hundreds, of black snake like creatures. They have a similar slinky and scale covered body that snakes have, except these creatures have tiny red wings and a frill around their heads like a lizard. Long yet chunky bodies make their way closer to Hunk, hissing and spitting as they go.

“Oh no. No, no, no. Who the heck are these guys?” Hunk screeches, the tone of his voice rising higher and higher in his panic. He tries to flatten himself along Yellow’s shield, tries to put more distance between him and the advancing creatures.

Hunk yelps as one of the winged snakes jumps and flies right at his face. Ducking just in time Hunk watches the black mass hit the ground hard. This one creature’s attempt seems to have set off some kind of attack signal. All the snakes hiss, sounding as if they are one singular creature instead of close to a hundred different snakes.

The sound reverberating in his skull, sending a shiver down his spine. It was foreboding and spoke of pain and death. This is not good news for Hunk.

“Please don’t hurt me! And, and don’t make me hurt you.”

Hunk stood, the Yellow Lion’s shield a comforting buzz at his back, and raised his own shield. He’s never been good at this whole fighting thing, but not for lack of trying. He knows the moves, knows how to block and attack, and is more than capable of causing someone serious damage.

But in his heart, he is not a fighter.

He doesn’t actually _want_ to cause anyone serious damage, or minimal damage for that matter. Hurting people isn’t something that he can justify. Even hurting the Galra, a race of aliens that are cruel and evil, doesn’t sit right with Hunk.

Shiro and Keith are the best fighters. They have agility, strength, and training, but they also have the stomach for it. They can hurt people – even kill them, when the situation calls for it – without thinking twice about it. It’s all in the duty, in saving the galaxy and protecting the innocent.

Hunk admires their strength but he’s come to realise he will never be like them in that regard.

The snake creatures swarm him, jumping and flying right at him and not once does he think about reaching for his bayard. Using his shield and his free hand he bats away the creatures, sending them flying but not doing any real damage.

His heart is beating as loudly as the tribal drums his grandpa plays, deep and powerful beats that shake his foundation. He’s terrified and panicking. There’s no way for him to win this, either he dies or they do and neither is an option Hunk want’s to consider.

“Please just stop! I don’t want to fight! I just want to get my lion and I’ll be out of your scales in no time,” he tries to beg as one particularly skinny snake wraps itself around his ankle. “Oh, man. How am I meant to help save a galaxy if I can’t even fight off a bunch of weird flying snakes?”

What was once a comforting buzz at his back suddenly and violently shudders and crackles.

It’s not the most comforting of sounds. Hunk bats away two more snakes that come flying at him – almost completely ignoring the ones wrapping themselves around his legs – and turns to check on Yellow.

“Yellow? You okay?” he shouts, glancing at the Lion. The scene that greets him shocks him, in both an exciting and terrifying way.

Though her shield was still active and keeping Hunk from coming any closer, a huge number of the snake creatures had managed to get past her shield. Whatever these things were they were having some effect on Yellow. No longer was she sitting proudly and calmly inside her shield. Now, she stood, stomping her feet and roaring at the creatures.

Hunk’s never seen a Lion active when inside their shield. He can’t wait to tell Pidge about this!

His awe is short lived however when he notices how the winged snakes are attacking Yellow. Every time one of them comes in contact with the Lion sparks shoots out and are absorbed into the creatures. Yellow roars and jumps, twists and turns.

She’s distressed and panicking.

“GET AWAY FROM MY LION!” Hunk roars, all thoughts of passivity gone in the face of his scared Lion. Doubling his efforts, Hunk throws punch after punch and kick after kick. He does everything he can to free himself from these creatures.

Reaching for his bayard Hunk roars right along with Yellow. Their voices are vastly different but the message is the same.

_Back the hell off._

Even in the heat of battle Hunk is still Hunk. Instead of firing at the snake creatures and killing them, he fires multiple shots towards the ground next to the creatures. They screech and scatter in fear, burrowing back into the dirt. He continues shooting until the very last snake has retreated. They seem to be pack creatures as even the ones safe inside Yellow’s shield burrowed into the dirt once Hunk started shooting.

By the time the ground has settled, showing no evidence of a swarm of winged snake like creatures, Hunk is left panting. His mind is racing in the aftermath as he absentmindedly holsters his bayard. For a moment the only sound around them is Hunk’s heavy breathing.

The distinct _whoosh_ of the shield being lowered is all the warning Hunk gets before Yellow’s large head nudges into his side. Hunk giggles somewhat hysterically as he falls on his back, Yellow nudging him still.

It’s her version of nuzzling.

“Hey girl! You back with me?” Hunk smiles, reaching his arms up to stroke Yellow’s jaw.

“You are the heart, Hunk. I don’t need you to be brave, I need you to believe in good. I will be brave for the both of us,” Yellow rumbles, their psychic connection bursting to the forefront of his mind. Sighing in utter contentment, Hunk continues to lie on the dirty ground and stare up at his Lion. “I was very proud of you though. You fought well and fearlessly.”

“Wow,” Hunk murmurs, completely stunned. “No one’s ever called me fearless before.”

Pulling back slightly, Yellow opens her jaw wide, inviting Hunk inside. He stands and shakes himself free of dust. Taking a deep breath Hunk steps inside the Yellow Lion; it feels like a significant moment. It’s as if they’ve passed some kind of test and now nothing could tear them apart.

As long as Hunk’s alive, nothing ever will.

“You have a strong heart.”

“But a weak stomach, right?” Hunk jokes lightly, feeling completely at ease as he walks to the cockpit. Once seated in the pilot’s seat something occurs to Hunk and he grimaces. “Sorry about all the vomit by the way. Past, present and most definitely future.”

The Yellow Lion merely laughs and warmth floods Hunk’s mind. Earth might be home but Yellow is his heart and he’s not ready to give that up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Paladin = Pidge
> 
> [My Tumblr](http://www.nothing-personal-my-dear.tumblr.com)


	4. Pidge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took me so long!! This was hard to write, I can relate to Pidge in this aspect so writing this all out was kinda jarring.

“Of course you found the only stretch of vegetation on the whole planet,” Pidge smiled up at the Green Lion, partially hidden in the thick bushes and vines. “That’s my jungle girl.”

Only since joining Voltron and becoming the Paladin of the Green Lion has Pidge really gotten into nature, having hated the thought of going outside before. Now, Pidge looks at the vines, tree branches and leaves covering the Green Lion and thinks they’ve never seen a more beautiful sight.

In the back of their mind an image of Beezer appears… and Pidge is torn.

Beezer is a true beauty of technological artistry, but the Green Lion in her favourite habitat is a wonder in itself.

For many reasons the Green Lion differs from her fellow Voltron Lions – as Pidge themselves differs from the other Paladins –  but the main reason is staring Pidge right in the face. There is no shield protecting the Green Lion right now. Being reset should mean that her shield would be activated to keep her safe, yet there is no shimmering green shield to be seen.

Hidden under mountains of foliage in a dense forest, there is no safer place for Green to be. Here in nature, nothing can harm her; the forest will protect their protector.

Climbing up the large vines Pidge makes their way towards Green’s enormous head. Only the tip of her snout, her left eye, and the point of her left ear are visible underneath the forest shield. The trek is surprisingly difficult – or not so surprising actually. Over the past few months fighting bad guys and running around the Castle, Pidge’s fitness level has increased tenfold. Strength on the other hand is something Pidge is still lacking. Trying to pull their own body weight up and over thick branches is proving rather challenging.

Half way to their destination Pidge decides to rest. Collapsing heavily onto a stable branch Pidge pants harshly and wipes the sweat dripping down their face.

“Just give me, give me a minute, girl.”

For several moments Pidge focuses solely on getting enough oxygen into their straining lungs. In and out, deep breathes. Closing their eyes and letting their body go lax, Pidge falls into a meditative state. The world around them falls away, all the problems of the universe fading into nothing. Pidge isn’t sitting on a branch trying to reach their factory reset Lion, and they aren’t essentially stranded on some long forgotten planet. There is nothing here, nothing anywhere.

Just Pidge.

Like a tsunami, a thousand thoughts crash into Pidge’s mind. Their quiet destroyed, their peace in turmoil, everything is wrong. It’s all _wrong_. Drowning, suffocating, gasping for breath, and clawing at the surface. Pidge is ensnared in the onslaught.

_Girl._

_Boy._

_Katie._

_Pidge._

_Freak._

_Weirdo._

_Trans._

_Fluid._

_Freak._

_You don’t belong. You’ll never belong._

Snapping their eyes open Pidge jumps up, arms held defensively in front of them. There is a rumbling sound deep below them, like a volcano about to erupt. Pidge feels threatened and on edge, as if they are going to be attacked any minute.

After a moment of breathing heavily, heart beating wildly, and eyes wide, Pidge relaxes. Slowly, in small increments, Pidge calms their frazzled nerves.

The rumbling continues but it’s not the cause of Pidge’s panic, more so the reason for their calm. Even without the psychic connection Green is still looking out for them. Pidge feels honoured.

“Thanks girl,” Pidge mumbles, sinking back down onto the branch below. They feel exhausted and embarrassed as the panic leaves their system. Hanging their head Pidge picks at the bark of the tree, swinging their legs idly.

Pidge was never the type of person that cared much about how people see them, until they figured out why they were so much different from their classmates. It wasn’t just that Pidge was insanely intelligent or had a habit of getting obsessed about certain things. It wasn’t even that their father and brother were presumed dead from the failed Kerberos mission.

Pidge was different because they didn’t identify as their assigned at birth gender, not totally anyways. In fact, they didn’t identify with the other genders completely either. Nothing fit the way Pidge felt on the inside.

Kids called them a freak and a werido – and those were the _nice_ things kids said. Pidge tried not to let their words affect them, but after a while things tended to stick. It was like tar running over the brightness of their soul. It was dark and messy and Pidge didn’t know how to escape it.

These insecurities transferred over to when they met Lance and Hunk in the Garrison. They never corrected the pronouns the boys used, never caused waves in that area. Things fell into a similar hole when they joined Voltron.

Pidge had been hiding, feigning ignorance, pretending like every misgender didn’t crush their soul.

“I was such an idiot when I told them I was a girl. But Shiro knew me as Katie, and it felt like the walls were caving in,” Pidge mumbles as they dig their nails into the softer sections of bark.

Shiro had told them to connect to their Lions again, so Pidge figured having a heart to heart with Green might do the trick. It was also something that had been nagging Pidge for weeks. There’s a barrier inside Pidge now, one saying they can’t be the Green Lion’s Paladin again until they get this off their chest.

If they’re going to reconnect again, then Pidge is going to let Green know them as they truly are.

“Meeting Allura and Coran was awesome. They didn’t care about gender roles or anything as rigid as that. And then we went out into the galaxy and no one cared,” Pidge smiled a little to themselves, awed at the accepting nature of the universe. “The only real issue was the Mall bathrooms.”

Thank the technology gods for Pidge’s ability to hold it.

Clearing their throat and side-eyeing the golden eye barely visible from the branch they sat on, Pidge got to the heart of their issues.

“On Earth there’s a whole bunch of terms for gender and I think one of them suits me.” Pausing to gather their courage, Pidge takes several more moments before finding their voice. It’s absolutely terrifying showing people who you really are because there’s a very real chance they won’t accept you.

Pidge doesn’t care if people don’t accept them, but Green isn’t just anyone.

If Green doesn’t accept them then everything good in Pidge’s life is lost.

Without Voltron, they’ll never find their brother and father. Without the other Paladins and the Altean’s, they’ve lost their new family. Without space travel, Pidge will have lost their passion for living. Without new adventures, Pidge has lost their thirst for knowledge.

But without Green, Pidge will have lost a piece of their heart.

It’s a big, scary moment but Pidge has never been a coward before and they certainly aren’t about to start now.

“I’m non-binary. It means that I don’t identify with the strict gender binary Earth has. I don’t fully identify as female or male. I’m just Pidge,” they shrugged then, feeling self-conscious and wondering how to explain human gender to a 10,000 year old sentient space ship.

There wasn’t a single noise, nor any movement from Green. She was as still and deactivated as ever.

Pidge sighed as utter defeat washed over them. They didn’t have the words to explain the complexities of human gender, and if they couldn’t explain it then how could they hope for acceptance? Hanging their head, Pidge felt their eyes fill with tears. A sob wracked their frame, no matter how hard they tried to rein it in. The tears fell, soaking into the bark below, disappearing as if they’d never fell in the first place.

A large mechanical groan sounded from deep within the bundle of vines and branches as a golden yellow eye looked down to where Pidge sat slumped.

“I like Pidge,” Green softly spoke as their psychic connection reconnected.

Pidge gasped, the overwhelming feeling of their mind simultaneously filling and emptying was dizzying. Scrambling to their feet Pidge hastily wiped their eyes.

A smile was already stretched across Pidge’s face and they wanted nothing more than to run up to Green and get behind the wheel again. However something in Pidge made them stop, some insecurity making itself known.

Pidge had to be sure, had to make certain that Green knew everything and understood it. They had to make sure they were accepted by the being that mattered most. Pidge was done living in ignorance, done pretending and hiding.

From this moment onwards Pidge was living as their true self.

“Do you understand what I’m saying? I’m not a guy or a girl, I prefer they/them pronouns. There are people on Earth that think I’m a freak for being this way, and I need to know if you’re one of them.”

_Please don’t be one of them,_ Pidge begged silently. Logically Pidge knows Green would accept them wholeheartedly but it’s that insecurity, that little _what if_ , that throws logic out the window.

For a moment everything pauses, the air stills and the birds are silent, before the world shakes. The branch Pidge is standing on shakes and slides. Branches and vines move and tumble to the ground as Green stands and shakes the forest off her back. Pidge points their bayard at a nearby tree just in time as the branch beneath them falls to the ground below.

Dangling from a tree Pidge looks on in awe of Green as she stands to her full height, the gleaming of metal catching the sun nearly blinds them but it’s still a captivating sight. She roars at the sky, as if daring the world to challenge her. Pidge feels a rush of pride at the display.

Green turned her knowing gaze onto Pidge and in no way moved to help them from the tree. Pidge rolled their eyes heavily. _Typical, Green always loved a good teaching moment_ , they thought.

“I understand, I have always understood, and my comment remains the same. I like Pidge, just the way you are, whoever that may be. You are strange for many different reasons but your gender is not one of them.”

“Wow,” Pidge breathed, still hanging from the branch, as a goofy smile stretched across their face. Having their fears squashed was so relieving Pidge had to cling tighter to their bayard, as their body nearly turned to goo. Luckily, Green took that moment to open her mouth. Pidge jumped down and made their way to the pilot seat. “Thanks girl, I knew you’d be cool with it but I… Hey, wait – “

“Strange is a compliment,” Green chuckled warmly, her presence as soothing as a crackling fire in the middle of winter. “Normal is boring, normal is for Yellow or Black, not for me. My Paladin must be as strange as me, and you are my Paladin.”

Sitting on the pilot’s seat that seemed to be perfectly moulded for them, Pidge ran their fingers along the levers. Shaking their head, Pidge smiled at Green. Of course she already knew how Pidge was feeling, they were telepathically connected. It’s hard to keep secrets when they can read each other’s minds. Pidge really had nothing to worry about and they knew with Green by their side they could tell the galaxy who they were and never be afraid.

They were going to save Matt, find Dad, and liberate the whole galaxy. They’d do it together, as the weirdo’s they were. Proudly so.

“Yeah, I’m your Paladin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Paladin = Keith
> 
> [My Tumblr](http://www.nothing-personal-my-dear.tumblr.com)


	5. Keith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have so much love for Keith, he's my fave Paladin. This might be a little rushed but Keith's chapter is already twice as long as any of the others and I didn't want this to go on forever (which lets be honest, I could write about Keith all damn day).
> 
> *Italics in quotation marks means Keith is speaking to Red through their psychic connection, not verbally.*

The closer Keith got the area Red was in the louder the voices became. It didn’t bode well for him, but he’s not sure why he ever expected Red to make things easy for him.

Since becoming her Paladin only a few short months ago Keith has come to realise that there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for Red. He ejected himself into the vacuum of space to protect her before he even really knew her. Now though, he’d face down Zarkon for her. Even more terrifying, he’d face himself.

Keith was never really into meditation, not the way Shiro always was, because he’s a little afraid of what is hidden deep within his mind. He already knows he’s pretty screwed up; he doesn’t need to dwell on the _why_ of everything.

The way Shiro was talking he made it seem like they were going to have to go above and beyond to get their Lions back. Last time Keith risked his life to earn Red’s trust, now he fears he has to risk his heart.

Keith’s not sure he’s capable of that.

Give him a Galra army to fight any day. Give him an unstoppable Robeast. Give him anything, absolutely anything, as long as it doesn’t have anything to do with his heart.

Ever since he was a child Keith has been closed off, fearful to let anyone close to him. His mother had abandoned him before he even learnt to crawl and by the time he’d entered high school his dad had died.

Keith was perpetually alone. Everyone he’s ever cared about has left him.

Even Shiro.

Somehow Shiro’s loss hit harder than growing up without a mother, and hurt more than having to bury his father.

Shiro was the one that promised never to leave him, promised he’d be back, promised Keith he never had to be alone again.

Shiro was the one that Keith trusted with his heart. Shiro was the one who broke him.

Keith found it hard to trust people at the best of times, but after Shiro he found it nearly impossible.

Then Shiro came back and Keith’s world spun on its axis. The Shiro that returned wasn’t Keith’s Shiro, wasn’t the man he shared his life with and wasn’t the man he fell for. Darkness plagued Shiro now, clung to him like a spider’s web. A shadow fell over Shiro, one that stole his memories along with his arm.

Anger burned deep inside Keith, cursing the promise and love Shiro gave him only to leave him completely alone in the end. Utter relief, joy, and an overwhelming love overrode the anger. Keith wanted to hate Shiro for breaking his promises but looking at the broken man Keith couldn’t help but thank the stars for his return.

Things were strained between them still, even after months of living in the Castle and being Paladins of Voltron. The others were curious about Keith and Shiro’s past but what he shared with Shiro was none of their business.

He wasn’t even sure what he shared with Shiro anymore.

Keith had steadily been making his way towards Red, following the map and the red dot on his screen that indicated Red’s position. He’d passed mountains and scattered villages, avoiding being seen by any locals.

Going by undetected wasn’t going to be an option much further. In the small village he’d found himself in Keith had made his way to the centre of town. For such a small looking village the place was packed. It seemed like every inhabitant on this damned planet had come to crowd in the narrow alleyways and small plaza.

Whispers sounded as loud as cheers with the amount of people around. They were all huddled together staring at something above them.

Cautiously Keith turned his gaze upwards, and groaned. He knew what he was going to see before he saw it, but he was hoping his instincts were wrong. Just this once, couldn’t he have been wrong?

On the top of a medium sized mountain sat Red.

There was no way to get to Red without being seen, without causing a panic, without drawing more attention than Keith was comfortable with.

“What is that?”

“Has it come to destroy us?”

“No, it’s the Great Protector of the Fire.”

“Praise the Protector of the Fire.”

“I can’t believe this is really happening! How amazing!”

Keith wanted to bang his head against the wall he was hidden behind. Of course these people saw Red as some deity; she gave off a mighty presence that was awe inspiring. He just wished she didn’t enjoy the attention quite so much. As they’d discovered over the months each of the Lions of Voltron had a decently sized ego.

Steeling himself for one of the more uncomfortable moments in this life, Keith slips into the light and away from the safety of the shadows.

Keith has always been on the shorter side and never found it a disadvantage. Right now, he wishes he were a little smaller. The locals here are small, child sized, with four stout arms and pudgy little bodies. Keith has never felt so out of place before, not even in the Garrison did he feel this estranged.

It was clear he wasn’t from around here as the crowd alternated from gazing adoringly at Red and glaring suspiciously at Keith. He wanted to crawl back to the shadows, he wanted everyone to stop looking at him, he wanted to get to Red and fly as fast as they could from this place.

But Keith rarely gets what he wants.

He wanted his mother to love him enough to stick around. He wanted his father to be alive. He wanted Shiro to never leave him.

Things were never tipped in Keith’s favour, why should this situation be any different?

Life is cruel. It was a lesson Keith learnt early in life and one that keeps repeating itself throughout his adulthood.

The whispers turned to shouts the closer to the edge of the mountain he got. He felt as if his skin was crawling, like thousands of needles pricking his skin, after wading through the thick crowd. There were too many people, too close, and too curious.

“Halt stranger!” a deep voice boomed from behind him.

Keith gritted his teeth in aggravation and slowly turned to face the crowd. Everyone was staring at him, hundreds of beady eyes sizing him up.  He couldn’t tell who the deep voice belonged to, which unnerved Keith more than the eyes. If he didn’t know who was after him then he wasn’t able to properly stop the attack. Keith was vulnerable, standing in front of hundreds of indigenous creatures with Red unresponsive and at the top of a damn mountain.

“Look I just want to get my Lion and leave,” he growled, unable to hold it in. Keith was always quick to anger and reverted to it when in awkward or uncomfortable situations. He’d rather people be scared of him anyways.

A collective gasp sounded from the crowd, some of the stubby aliens actually fainted. A few of the chunkier creatures began bulging and shifting, like their bones were rearranging themselves under their skin. It was one of the most disturbing sights Keith’s ever seen, and he watches old horror films like it’s his own person drug.

What once was a tiny, heavy set, people were now muscle bound warriors that would give Zarkon a run for his quintessence.

“YOU CANNOT HAVE THE PROTECTOR OF FIRE!” Several voices bellowed from the enormous creatures. A light shimmered in front of them and each newly grown local produced a heavy looking hammer or impossibly large axe.

Keith breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn’t have to talk his way out of this, he could just fight. _Perfect!_

Waving his hand to activate his bayard Keith widened his stance and snarled at the soldiers, a wicked gleam in his purple-grey eyes.

“I _am_ taking her. Red’s mine and I’m hers. You won’t stop me from getting to her.”

For a split second there was silence, absolute silence where not even the breeze ruffled fallen leaves, before a war cry unlike any he’s ever heard echoed from the crowd. It was a cry, a screech, a honk. It was equal parts ominous and hilarious.

Keith was more of a silent warrior, he didn’t need ferocious sounds to strengthen him or intimidate his opponent. With a quick smirk Keith rushed forward into the fray of battle.

Within seconds he had disarmed three of the large warriors, stunning them so much that they lay flat on the paved ground. One of them might actually be seriously injured, if not dead. Keith had kicked one of their heads so hard he actually heard something snap.

Fighting had an unusual but utterly beautiful atmosphere to it. Everything happened so quickly yet time seemed to slow. It was rough and tough with blood and gore but each movement was fluid and graceful. There was beauty to war.

Keith was reminded of the horrors of war when he sliced through one of the creatures four hands, severing it from its thick forearm. Green blood sprayed all over Keith’s face from where he lay beneath the hulking creature. Its large hand bounced off Keith’s chest to land in a heap next to him. Shrinking before his eyes, Keith looked at the now tiny hand in revulsion. Somehow, the shrinking was more disgusting than the severed limb or warm blood.

The creature screeched in pain, its horrifying screams could probably be heard on the other side of the damn planet. Keith winced as he kicked the creature away from him and shot to his feet. Spinning around Keith was faced with three of the now enraged creatures.

Keith felt like laughing. He was actually having fun. He purposefully didn’t think about how screwed up that makes him.

They all charged him at once and this was one of the moments where time slowed. Keith felt like he had all the time in the world to attack before they even landed one punch.

Throwing his sword into the largest creature’s stomach, Keith jumped onto its shoulders. Pulling his sword free with a wet, slick noise Keith jumped onto the next creature as the first one fell to its knees.

He threw punch after punch at the thing’s soft neck while he clung to its large ear. The creature wailed at the assault, twisting and turning haphazardly and throwing its four arms around. In its panic the so called warrior managed to hit his fellow soldier, knocking the thing out in one fell swoop.

Keith huffed, shaking his head even as he clung onto the creature and continued pummelling it. He expected these guys to be more of a challenge but it seems they use their size to intimidate. Size means very little if you don’t have the skill to back it up. Keith lacked size but he had more skill than any human or alien he’s come across.

He’s got just as much pride as Red but Keith can’t find fault in that.

“Well, you’re certainly having fun.” It’s soft and should be impossible to hear over the screams of agony and rallying war cries but Keith would know that voice anywhere.

Keith laugh, giddy with joy and the high fighting gives him. In one quick swoop Keith plunges his sword into the creature’s neck in the exact same spot he’s been punching. As the warrior gurgles and falls, Keith jumps from his neck and races up the mountain. The surviving warriors are hot on his heels but Keith is agile and back on Earth he ran for fun. He’s got this.

“ _Red! You’re back?”_ he asks in his mind. He’s not sure if the other Paladins are capable of this. All the Lions speak telepathically to their Paladins, but as far as he’s seen the Paladins all respond verbally. Keith’s never needed to verbally talk to Red, though occasionally he slips, as he usually responds telepathically.

It was a natural thing for him and he never thought it was weird until he told Shiro a few weeks into their mission. Shiro had looked at him with such awe and amazement – and a little bit of pride and longing snuck in there too – that Keith had flushed and ducked his head.

He was sure Shiro was going to kiss him then, for the first time in over a year. Keith was equal parts hesitant to re-establish his connection with Shiro and absolutely desperate to feel Shiro pressed against him.

“That’s amazing Keith. You and Red really have a great connection,” Shiro had said before turning and walking away, his shoulders hunched. Keith was left standing in one of the Castle’s large hallways trying to decide if he was relieved or disappointment that Shiro hadn’t kissed him.

The connection he felt with Red now wasn’t at all what he was used to. It felt like she was the one that was afraid, like she was peeking around a corner.

Keith nearly tripped over an upturned rock, stumbling into a tree and losing some of his momentum. Did she not want him anymore? Or was she planning on leaving again? He didn’t think he could handle her leaving again, once was hard enough. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if he could trust her again, or if his heart could take another hit.

“ _Are you some kind of danger magnet?”_ he asks testily, dodging a large tree and picking up the pace. The angry shouts of the warriors are getting louder meaning they’re getting closer.  This run is hard and fast, manoeuvring around the forest and the deceptively steep incline of the mountain making Keith push himself to his limits. The strain on his muscles and lungs is a wonderful distraction from the ache in his heart.

“You love it,” Red sounds incredibly smug and sure of herself. Keith smirks, glancing behind him at the veritable army chasing him up a mountain. Yeah, he kind of does love it.

He catches himself before he lets himself get sucked into the comfort of having Red back. She might not be back for good and that scares him. He needs to protect himself from the hurt and pain and the loneliness. There’s always so much loneliness surrounding him, he nearly drowns in it.

“Let me in Keith,” Red sounds strained, as if she’s the one running up a mountain.

Keith didn’t even realise he was actively pushing her away. There was a wall inside his head keeping Red at a distance and preventing them from having the connection they had before. What if he couldn’t let her in? What if he couldn’t trust her again? What would happen to Voltron? What would happen to him?

Instinctively Keith ducks, just as one of those giant axes comes hurtling at his head. The weapon lodges itself in a boulder and Keith doubts the thing will ever be free. He laughs a little hysterically at himself; if he hadn’t ducked he’d have that axe embedded in his skull right now. Not a pretty image, especially when the axe is almost as large as Keith is.

 “We belong to each other. I won’t leave you, I promise.”

This time, Keith did trip. A rock caught his foot and he flipped, landing on his stomach with a mighty _oof_. There were scrapes all along his palms, knees, and the edge of his chin. He didn’t have time to be stunned as one of the warriors had reached him. Reaching out, Keith picked up the very rock that had tripped him and threw it at the large soldier. It hit their forehead with spectacular accuracy and the creature flew back. With the warrior tumbling down the mountain and taking some of his friends with him Keith was able to scramble his way back up the mountain.

“ _You already left me, that’s what got us into this mess in the first place,_ ” he growled, unable to keep the anger and hurt from his voice.

“That was not by choice,” Red insisted, as stubborn as always. The only person’s stubbornness that could rival Red’s was Keith’s. Usually it’s what made them such a good match, but he doubted it was serving them any good today.

With one last push Keith reached the top of the mountain – more like a large hill really – and finally realises what the locals meant by Protector of Fire.

“A volcano. Really?” Putting his hands on his knees to catch his breath, Keith glares at Red. The mighty Red Lion sits comfortably in the very middle of a pool of lava. There’s no way Keith can reach her and she doesn’t look like she’s inclined to move anytime soon. _Stubborn_. “You know I almost killed myself last time trying to get you. I was hoping it wouldn’t be a repeat this time.”

_Now she was silent_. Keith groaned and stood up straight, taking in his surroundings. There was absolutely no way to get to Red on foot, no path through the molten lava. Shouts from below remind Keith that he has an army on his tail that would relish the sight of him plummeting into the lava. They were closing in on him and Keith had nowhere to go and there wasn’t enough space up here to fight properly.

He was trapped.

“Patience yields focus,” he breathed, before panic could take over. Closing his eyes he repeated the mantra several times, the world around him falling away as peace settled in his racing heart.

“I suppose asking you to let me in is foolish, seeing as you haven’t even let Shiro back in. Not completely,” Red commented casually as if she was discussing the weather.

Keith on the other hand had jerked at hearing Shiro’s name. The army was climbing up the mountain worryingly fast and would be on his position any moment; he didn’t have the time for this. He shook his head and focused on breathing again; hoping a solution to his dilemma would present itself.

_“That has nothing to do with this. Anytime you feel like helping out would be appreciated.”_

“Shiro has everything to do with this, and I’ll help when you talk.”

“We don’t have time for a therapy session, Red,” he growled, opening his eyes to glare at the Lion. Keith threw his arm out, pointing down the mountain where angry shouts and pounding footsteps could be heard. “There is an army on their way to kill me and if you would just get out of the damn volcano we could get outta here!”

Keith felt all out of sorts, like he had no control over the situation. He was trapped and helpless, two feelings he absolutely detested.

“You could always leave,” was Red’s flippant reply. It made Keith’s blood boil as much as the lava bubbled around Red.

“I DON’T LEAVE PEOPLE!” he shouted, his anger overwhelming him. How could she ever think he would do something so horrible? Didn’t she know him at all? Did she care so little about the connection he thought they had?

His fists were balled tightly, his arms shaking with tension, and he was horrified to feel his eyes welling with tears. They didn’t have time for this. In a few minutes Keith would surely be dead, they needed to get away from this planet.

“No, you don’t,” she hummed, her large head twisting to look directly at him for the first time since he reached the mountain peak. “They’re the ones that leave you.”

The bottled rage and tightly coiled tension drained from Keith instantly. His mouth fell open and his eyes sprang wide. He felt like he couldn’t breathe, like the lava below him was burning his insides.

It felt like being slapped in the face, the shock, the absurdity, and the pain. Keith was stunned for a moment, his heart beating painfully in his chest. “Shiro left and I left, neither of which we had any control over, might I add.”

_“Shiro had a choice. He chose to go on that mission.”_ Though Keith’s body was still parlayed by her words, his mind had enough energy to fight. These were the secret thoughts he had late at night when he felt his worst, when he wanted to hate Shiro.

When the bed felt too large and too empty, when his mind conjured memories of strong arms wrapped around him in sleep and a cold nose pressed into the back of his neck, were moments his mind wandered to places he wished it wouldn’t. In the times he found himself missing someone he saw everyday he reminded himself that Shiro chose this. Shiro set them on separate paths and Keith was the one that hadn’t adjusted to their new arrangement.

“He did not choose to be captured and tortured by the Galra for more than a year. He did not choose to leave you, Keith. You need to understand that not everyone leaves.”

She sounded so reasonable, so mature and wise. It made Keith unreasonably angry

“What does that matter? What does any of this have to do with anything? Why do you care that the love of my fucking life left me? Or that now he pretends like we never had anything?” Keith shouted and raged, a year’s worth of hurt and heartbreak boiling over. His next words however were raw and choked, quiet compared to his earlier anger. “He doesn’t want me back any more than you do and I’m just the pathetic fool hanging on to memories that mean nothing.”

Red roared mightily, a sound so full of protective fury that Keith nearly fell to his knees with the power of it. She leapt from the lava she had emerged herself in and picked Keith up in her mouth before flying quickly away from the volcano, the army, and the village.

Keith stumbled his way to the cockpit, but didn’t go near the pilot’s seat. He felt ragged, rubbed raw and wrung out to dry. All he wanted was to crawl into a bed and hide in the dark forever. Instead, he leaned against the side of the control board with his arms wrapped tightly around himself.

In the back of his mind Keith could feel Red, dulled behind his wall as she was, and could tell she was brimming with the same fury that fuelled her roar. It made him want to shrink back, duck his head and apologize. He felt like a chastised pup.

“I want you,” her voice a deep rumble in his mind. There was anger there but it was nearly shadowed by the deep love underlying her tone. “Shiro wants you. We’re just waiting for you to want us back, to give us another chance.”

Keith slumps against the control board, as if all his strings have been cut. He’s suddenly exhausted, emotionally and physically, and doubts he has any real fight left in him. He wants to believe her, more than anything in this galaxy he wants her words to be true, but he hesitates.

_“You didn’t want me the first time though.”_ It’s been a hidden insecurity he’s held for months. The voice in the back of Keith’s mind whispering that if Red really wanted him to be her Paladin then she would have accepted him sooner.

“We are one and the same Keith. I do not trust easily either,” she sighs, her velocity slowing down to match her tone. “When I find someone worth caring for, though, I never let go and I fight for them and with them. Just as you do.”

He huffs at that, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. She was right, they were incredibly similar. With that in mind Keith cautiously sat in the pilot’s seat. His breath was shaky and his heart beat wildly, but he sat.

For the first time in a long while Keith put his heart on the line.

This may come back to bite him in the ass but he’s choosing to trust Red, choosing to let her in and give her another chance, just as she wished. The wall inside his mind crumbles and the psychic connection spreads to every corner of his mind. It feels like flying, like zipping through the winds at speeds no one dares to reach. It’s everything Keith dreamed of.

Well, almost.

_“Do you really think Shiro wants me?”_ he asks, feeling his cheeks heat. He can’t believe he actually asked that. He sounds like a boy crazy tween, not the solemn adult he actually is.  At least he’s safe in the knowledge that Red would never judge him for his feelings or insecurities.

He feels Red’s joy as his mind opens to her, at the trust he is putting in her. It makes him smile and wonder if maybe it is okay to let people in. Maybe.

“Of course he wants you. He talks to Black about you all the time and she doesn’t keep anything from the other Lions. Shiro loves you, Keith.”

Keith laughed; he couldn’t believe he was talking about his love life with Red. This is without a doubt the weird day he’s ever had – that included the day he was kidnapped by a giant blue robotic lion and taken to another planet and met a few aliens.

His life was weird.

“Let’s get your Shiro back, shall we?” Red asked kindly as she turned in the sky, most likely already heading in Black’s direction whether Keith wanted it or not.

He smiled and shook his head, _stubborn as always and I wouldn’t want her any other way_ , he thought. The notion of opening his heart to Shiro was anxiety inducing. He gripped the levers tightly and tried to prepare himself. He knew what he had to do and with Red on his side he thinks he could do anything, even something this terrifying.

“Let’s do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's almost the end! Just one chapter to go!  
> Last Chapter = Shiro. 
> 
>    
>  [My Tumblr](http://www.nothing-personal-my-dear.tumblr.com)


	6. Shiro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Headcanon: Shiro has two mums!  
> Google told me okaasan was Japanese for mum, sorry if that's incorrect.

Shiro was relieved when the other Paladins had radioed back saying they had successfully connected with their Lions. He had told them to wait for him at the bottom of the mountain Black was perched atop. It was without a doubt the highest peak on the whole planet, the summit well above the fluffy clouds.

He shouldn’t have expected anything different. Black protected the skies, she loved to fly and more than anything she missed her wings.

Shiro had turned off his radio hours ago when Lance had complained about how creepy it was to hear Shiro’s heavy breathing as he climbed a mountain. Luckily, he was almost to the top. After several hours, nearly the whole day, he was nearing the top.

His trek up the mountain he had kept him mind clear, forcing calm and serenity. Since his imprisonment he’s had to work harder than ever to reach a meditative state, something he used to do as naturally as breathing.

Keith used to tease him about his meditating, something he had to do twice a day just to say sane. Shiro would just smirk and tease Keith about his methodical cleaning of his knife every night. They each had their quirks and it only made them love each other more.

Shiro nearly slipped on a loose rock, shaking his head and gritting his teeth as he resumed his climb.

Thinking of Keith was difficult these days.

Since his return he wanted nothing more than to gather Keith in his arms and never let the boy go. He missed Keith, missed his smirks and his dry humour, missed watching him train and the graceful way he moved his body. He’d been without Keith for over a year and every day he missed him more.

But now he’s back and things are different.

He knows what his absence did to Keith. To the mistrustful teen Shiro’s departure would have felt like abandonment. Shiro knows Keith better than anyone; he knows how his sharp mind works and how his fears often win out over rationality.

He’d broken Keith’s trust, and possibly broken his heart.

Shiro wanted nothing more than to reclaim the love they shared before Kerberos and comfort all of Keith’s worries, but he wasn’t sure he had the right to that anymore.

He was trying to give Keith his space, let Keith come to him when he was ready to let Shiro in again. But he’d be lying if he said that was the only reason for his hesitance.

The Shiro that escaped imprisonment was not the same Shiro that piloted a mission to Kerberos.

The Galra had changed him, not just physically but mentally as well.

He was broken in more ways than one and he was worried about hurting Keith. Shiro wasn’t even sure if Keith would want this new broken version of himself or if he even deserved to feel happiness again.

During his time as Champion he did some awful things for survival. Champion wasn’t someone Shiro was proud of but deep inside the worst parts of Champion survived. There was a monster in Shiro, one that wore his face.

He’d hardly had time to process his freedom before he was shoved back into the battle. He hasn’t adjusted, and in his darkest moments it doesn’t feel like he escaped at all. He just swapped one prison for another.

Being a part of Voltron is an amazing experience and he understands that he is doing good and saving people, but he’s still forced to fight on a regular basis and still separated from home.

The Paladins have become like family and he wouldn’t want to save the galaxy with anyone else, but Shiro misses his mums. He can’t imagine what it was like for them to get a call saying their only son had died and there wasn’t even a body for them to bury.

Did they even know he was alive?

He desperately wanted to ask Keith if he spoke to them during his year away but he thinks no matter the answer it would break him. If he thinks about his mums too much then Voltron really does feel like a prison.

He wants to go home, he wants to take Keith back to Earth and back to their little shack in the desert, he wants to see his mums and hug his grandparents.

With one final push Shiro lifted himself over the edge of a rock and came face to face with the Black Lion. Standing he stared at her for a moment while he caught his breath. The thoughts in his mind were flying, his emotions unable to pin down exactly how he was feeling.  

He wanted his old life back, but a part of him wanted Black as well.

Before he has time to register that he finally made it up this impossible mountain Black moves. She stands to look at him, and begins circling him. Shiro has never felt in danger with Black near, but right now she’s treating him like an enemy.

“What’s wrong, Black?” Shiro asks hesitantly, heart racing, as he turns to keep her in his line of sight.

On Earth he knew logically how to fight, and he and Keith would often spar, but in the arena is where he learnt how to fight for survival. One of the most important lessons was to never let your opponent get to your back, once they had a single advantage that was the moment you lost.

Even though Shiro trusted Black with his life he couldn’t shake the way his body and mind reacted to a perceived threat.

In the back of his mind, at the base of his skull, there was a building pressure. Dull at first, it grew heavier and more insistent until Shiro realised what it was.

It was always more difficult for him to psychically link with Black and he’s positive it has everything to do with his captivity. During his year as a prisoner he had been experimented on almost as often as he was forced to fight in the arena. Countless times Shiro was put under the knife or had equipment stuck to his body.

His mind has been scrambled far too many times for him to ever be comfortable with another presence in there. He’s apologized to Black many times over the months they’ve been together and said he was sorry he couldn’t give her his all. She seemed to accept that about him, accept his scars and the broken man she’d linked with.

Having her inside his mind always felt like a dull headache, one he could easily ignore but enough pressure to remind him it was there. Today, that pressure felt more intrusive than before. He didn’t want to believe that she was actively hurting him, but something about their connection was different.

“We must speak,” her voice rumbled in his head. Her voice always surprised him. It was deeper than he expected, more controlled and carefully spoken. Black never said anything she didn’t mean, and every word had a purpose. She certainly sounded like a leader; Shiro hoped he sounded nearly as half as confident as she did when speaking to the Paladins. “You must prove you are worthy to lead the Paladins, worthy to lead Voltron.”

Shiro blows out a breath, he knew this was coming but now that it’s here he’s suddenly worried he won’t pass whatever test she has for him.

“I’ve been worthy the past few months, what’s changed now?” he asks warily, as they continue to slowly circle each other.

“I accepted you because my Lions trusted your team. I trusted my Lions, not you.”

It feels like a punch to the gut even if it makes total sense to Shiro. He wants her to trust him, to believe that he can do this; he wants her support and her guidance.

“You know how hard it was for me to open up to you, I’m not sure how much more I can give you,” he tells her honestly. If what he’s already shown her isn’t enough then nothing ever will be. He isn’t whole enough to give her everything.

“I understand, but this is not about me Shiro. A leader cannot care only for their own benefit. A leader is nothing without those they lead.” Shiro nods at her words, having heard a similar speech from his commanders in the Garrison. “I trust my Lions, you need to trust your Paladins.”

That stops Shiro in his tracks. He stands still in the middle of the open, desolate, place atop this mountain and stares out over the cloudy horizon. Black comes around to stand in front of him, no longer circling him like he’s prey.

“I trust my team,” he insists, mildly offended by her accusation.

Even after all this time with his Galra arm Shiro still doesn’t have complete control – something he fears he’ll never have with the prosthetic. As the spikes from his frustration race through his veins he can feel his arm tingle and react to the emotion. It’s not enough to activate the arm but Shiro needs to calm himself before something goes horribly wrong.

“You may lie to yourself but you cannot lie to me. We are connected more intimately than any other creature in this or any galaxy. I know what’s inside your mind and what is in your heart.” Shiro almost flinches at her words; he doesn’t like people poking around inside his head. “You don’t let them see you. They see a hero and a leader, they do not see Takashi. Let them see your jagged edges.”

“Those edges are more jagged than even you could realise,” Shiro snarls defensively. “I spent a whole year in a Galra prison. Taking my arm may have been the biggest thing they did to me but it is by far not the only horror I endured.”

Shiro feels a cold dread wash over him whenever he thinks of his capture and the year that followed. When he first escaped he told everyone he couldn’t remember what happened, and at the time it was true, his mind shielded him from the trauma. Since then he’s been remembering bits and pieces on an almost daily basis.

His memory is now fully intact.

He remembers every horrific thing the Galra did to him.

The pokes and prods, the slices of surgical equipment, hundreds of procedures as they tried to figure out how he functioned and how to hurt him the most. The bruises and broken bones from the arena and the poor medical care he received afterwards, if at all. Sometimes the Galra would break his bones or carve into his flesh just to see what happened, to hear him scream and watch his body shudder in pain. Then there was the utter joy the Galra got in his humiliation, those memories are some of the hardest to face.

Though his whole body is covered in poorly healed scars there are deeper wounds inside him that cause the most damage. His mind is a treacherous place where his torture is playing like a film on repeat behind his eyes.

Shiro is broken beyond repair. What the Galra did to him is something that can’t be undone and will never be properly healed.

“You are not the only victim of the Galra,” Black reminds, her voice as soft as she ever lets it be.

Shiro looks up at her and feels his shoulders slump. Though their pain is severely different, they have both suffered at the hands of Zarkon and his Galra followers, just as billions more have across the galaxy.

As much as Shiro and Black know about each other through the psychic link it still feels like they know nothing about one another. Each of them has their hidden pain, the things they don’t talk about and don’t want to share.

If she’s not willing to expose herself so vulnerably, then why should he?

He wants to call her out on being a hypocrite, wants to tear her logic apart and remind her who is in charge here. The anger boils inside him, turning this thoughts as dark as ink. It’s a combination of sick joy and deep hatred that swirls and mixes until it covers him.

Shiro closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. In and out, breathing in calm and exhaling anger. In and out, relaxing his posture and keeping his prosthetic deactivated.

Deep breaths and a clear mind Shiro reminds himself that that is not the person he is, even after all he’s been through. There are certain times when his torture rears its ugly head and he lashes out in the worst ways possible. It’s defensive, it’s survival, and most of all it’s fear.

Shiro has never wanted to hurt people, physically or emotionally. It’s not who he is, it’s not who his mother’s raised him to be, and it’s not who Keith loved.

When he opens his eyes again his mind is clear and the anger and fear has drained from his body. Black sits in front of him as calmly as anything, as if there is nothing more important than this very moment.

“He took my arm and he stole your wings,” Shiro broaches, his eyes kind as he looks at Black. “How does the fear and hatred not consume you?”

It’s been a long time since Shiro has felt this vulnerable but he thinks it’s time to start the healing process before he’s too far gone. On Earth he had friends that had served in wars and they were never the same once they returned home. The ones that got therapy, in every sense of the word, seemed to be able to regain a semblance of a normal life. Those that refused help and refused to ever acknowledge what happened to them often drowned in their own darkness.

Shiro thought he would be okay, convincing himself that every Galra he eliminated was another life that wouldn’t be held captive. Fighting the Galra hasn’t been nearly as rewarding as he had hoped.

He’s still lost and afraid in the dark, and each day that goes by he can feel that darkness weighing down on him a little more.

His okaasan would berate him for not getting help sooner, while his mama would pet his hair and tell him he was doing the right thing. To Shiro, his mothers were everything and he knew they wouldn’t want him to fade away like this. They raised him to be strong and open, no matter how scary the idea he knew he needed to call on their strength now.

_“Be open to love and light, Takashi.”_

“I told my lions everything.” The lions of Voltron couldn’t physically smile but there was something in Black’s voice that made Shiro think she was smiling. “It was difficult and painful but I needed them as much as they need me. We would never be able to form Voltron if we did not know and trust each other.”

Shiro nodded slowly, taking it all in. Everything she was saying made total sense, no matter how terrifying. Before Kerberos he had no trouble talking about his feelings and connecting with people, but now it’s like he’s completely forgotten how to do it.

“I, I’m broken now,” Shiro starts haltingly. It’s the hardest words he’s ever spoken and can feel his mouth drying up and a cold sweat break out on his forehead. “I don’t feel like Takashi anymore. I spent a year being Champion and I don’t know how to come back from that. I’m not even sure there is a way back and that’s the scariest thing about all this. I know that if I can’t come back I’ll turn into him, I’ll become Zarkon.”

Black rumbles deeply at that, as if she disapproves of his statement. Shiro smiles, something small and incredibly fragile but it’s there.

“I will not let you turn into him. Your Paladins will not let you, Keith will not let you.”

“What?” Shiro gasped, his eyes wide. Just hearing his name still made Shiro feel lightheaded and caused his heart to jump.

“I keep nothing from my Lions, as they keep nothing from me. Keith loves you Shiro, as you love him.” Shiro’s never heard Black sound smug before. “He is now ready to let you in, but are you ready to trust him in return?”

Dust storms, sand covering everything, and an air conditioner that only worked selectively. A small place that felt like heaven and a smile that was as pure as any angel. Late nights staring at the stars and plotting dream adventures. Staying in bed well into the afternoon with lazily presses of bodies and sweet kisses.

Shiro remembers all of it. His life with Keith isn’t something he’s willing to let slip through his fingers. Several years ago he made a promise to himself that he would do absolutely anything for Keith. Taking a deep breath Shiro locks eyes on Black.

“I’m ready.”

Black roars happily at the sky and lowers her head to allow Shiro entrance. As they fly down the mountain and land next to the other Lions Shiro feels lighter than he has since before Kerberos.

He’s still a little shaky and terrified but each step he takes closer to the other Paladins makes Shiro feel better. These are his people, the ones he willingly goes into battle with, the ones he will trust and care for.

This is his family.

Lance sits unnaturally still on Blue’s paw, staring at his hands. Hunk leans against Yellow’s paw comfortably, sightly nodding to himself. Pidge is a little jittery as they move around Green, unnecessarily inspecting the Lion for damage. Keith looks as he usually does, arms crossed and eyes down as he leans against Red.

This is Shiro’s family and he can’t help but smile at them as he approaches.

Each look unharmed but there is an air of fragility and vulnerability hanging over them. He suspects they each had an emotional experience with their Lion’s as he just did. They smile lazily back at him which fills Shiro’s heart with joy. He has this amazing team that are willing to stand by him, now he needs to show them how much that means to him.

“Good job at connecting with your Lion’s everyone. I think we’ve all got a lot to talk about, and there’s some things I think I’m ready to share with you guys. If, if that’s okay?” Shiro hesitantly looks at the group of teens around him. He thinks he’d be blushing right now if he didn’t feel so faint.

He knows they all understand what he’s talking about when they straighten and their eyes go a little wide.

“Yeah, Shiro. That’s fine by us,” Pidge nods, nudging Lance beside them when the Blue Paladin stands there speechless.

“We’d love to Shiro,” Hunk softly says, reaching out and squeezing Shiro’s shoulder gently. Everything about Hunk is gentle and Shiro admires the strength that takes in the galaxy they live in.

“That’d be good,” Lance whispers, tears filling his eyes. Shiro smiles softly at him and is grateful when Pidge moves to squeeze Lance’s hand.

_Family_ , a voice that sounds exactly like Black says in his mind.

As the others retreat to their Lions, obviously sensing the need for privacy, Shiro takes a few cautious steps towards Keith. The Red Paladin looks at him like he’s not sure what to make of the situation.

“I’m going to make more of an effort with everyone, but especially with you. I know you might not be able to forgive me but I’m hoping you’ll at least give me the chance to prove to you how much I, how much I love you.”

Shiro reaches out to softly take Keith’s hand. Black gave him the confidence he needed to do this, and she made it seem like Keith would be willing to try. His heart is in his throat as he watches the way Keith’s eyes turn wide and scared, so vulnerable and lost. Shiro squeezes Keith’s hand and smiles softly at the guy that holds his heart. “Let’s go back to the Castle and we can sort things out there, okay?”

It takes a lifetime as far as Shiro is concerned, but eventually he’s rewarded with Keith squeezing his hand and the most beautiful smile Shiro has ever seen.

“Okay.”

Shiro grins, his whole face lighting up. In Keith-speak that’s practically forgiveness. Hand in hand the Black and Red Paladins walk towards their Lions, smiling and blushing the whole way.

It was certainly one of the most interesting test flights Shiro’s ever been on, but despite the rocky beginning Shiro really thinks everything worked out for the best.

They got their Lion’s back and are well on the way to strengthening their family.

They will be a family, the type of family that each of them desperately needs. They’re already halfway there; they just needed this little kick from their Lions.

Voltron Lion’s take care of their Paladins, always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all folks!!!! Thank you for reading this fic, it means a lot to me to know people are actually reading it! This was a little idea I had before Season 2 aired but I never wrote it because season 2 did something similar, but I decided to write it now cos I love me some Paladin/Lion bonding, and that not-so-subtle Sheith! 
> 
> Once again THANK YOU. Comment below and tell me what you think of the whole thing, which chapter/Paladin was your favourite??
> 
> Now, I'm off to watch Season 6..........I'm so scared and excited, but mostly scared. 
> 
> [My Tumblr](http://www.nothing-personal-my-dear.tumblr.com)


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